Garnet Yam Casserole

3 large garnet yams

3 large red apples

3 or 4 large bananas

3 to 4 cups of orange juice

1 TBS ground cinnamon
3/4 cup of chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Peel and slice the garnet yams. Steam (or microwave) them until tender but not overdone. Peel and slice the apples. Peel and slice the bananas.

In a large casserole dish, layer the yams, bananas and then the apples. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and add if few dollops of butter if you like. The layering should include all the yams and fruit. The apples should be arranged on top in a decorative fashion. Add cinnamon and fill the casserole halfway with orange juice. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cover with a lid or tin foil and bake until hot and bubbly, approximately 45 minutes. Take the top off for the last 15 minutes to allow the apples to get a little crusty. Adding chopped pecans at this point will also make the top Crunchy.
This recipe can be easily adjusted to fit any size crowd. This will probably feed 8 to 10 at a Thanksgiving Dinner.

Risotto with Fresh Fava Beans, Onions, and Fennel

1 lb fresh fava beans shelled
1 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 fresh "baby" fennel bulbs trimmed, and diced (reserve frilly tops)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds coarsely ground with a spice grinder
4 cups canned low-salt broth more or less (can be vegetable broth or chicken)
4 tablespoon chopped fresh fennel tops
1/2 cup chopped pancetta (optional)
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
lemon juice to taste

1.Cook fava beans in boiling salted water 2 minutes. Drain, cool and peel outer skins.

2. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and fennel bulb; saute 2 minutes. Add fennel seeds; saute 3 minutes. Add risotto. Stir in 1 cup of broth. As broth evaporates continue to pour broth in small amounts, letting the risotto absorb the liquid each time and stirring so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. The process should take about 20 minutes to incorporate all 4 cups of broth. Just as the last cup of broth is being added stir in the fava beans. Continue to cook the risotto until all broth is absorbed.

3. Stir in pancetta (if used) and fennel tops. Take off the heat and cover. Allow to sit for about 2 minutes.

4. Mix in lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Gingery Rhubarb and Butternut Squash Bake

It was Thanksgiving and I wanted a side dish that was similar to baked yams, but not so sweet. I was also wanting to use some things that I was growing in the garden, especially the rhubarb which I had in abundance. This turned out sweet enough, and very different in taste. I liked it just as well the next morning added to my hot cereal.

1 Kabocha or butternut squash, peeled and sliced the size of apple slices that you'd put in pie
1 cup rhubarb, diced
1 small can crushed pineapple, with juice
1 tablespoon finely diced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoon demerarra sugar (or brown sugar will do)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a lidded baking dish (cover in tin foil if you don't have a lid). Layer the squash, rhubarb, pineapple and ginger into the dish, or toss the ingredients in a separate bowl and then ladle into the dish, trying to arrange the squash slices so they are flat. Pour in the pineapple juice (if it wasn't added earlier) and dot with butter. Cover dish and bake for 1 hour until the squash is fork tender.

Toss together the pecans and demarrar sugar. Remove lid and sprinkle nut mixture evenly over the top. Bake another 20 minutes until the nuts are turning golden brown. Serves 6.